The invention relates to a device for gripping the rubber tired wheels of a vehicle, e.g. a motor vehicle and for raising the vehicle. This device comprises individual supporting structures engaging the periphery of the tires of the wheels and having a suspension which becomes effective at a small distance above the axis of the wheel.
These devices serve either to load vehicles having rubber tires on the railway trucks or ships or to transport motor vehicles which have been incorrectly parked for example or which have broken down in a raised or loaded condition. In some cases in fact it is only necessary to raise the vehicle which is to be towed away only by the wheels of one axle instead of by all of the wheels. However, in the majority of different applications, it is just as important to protect the vehicle from damage.
Known devices of the type mentioned above use gripping devices having grips mounted on both sides on a support bracket for the purpose of gripping the wheels and these grips are pivoted with the aid of draw bolts underneath the axle of the wheel towards the latter and are pressed against the tread of the rubber tire. However, actuating these tractor screws has proved to be quite unwieldy and matching the gripping devices to the different vehicle wheels, which deviate from each other to a large extent both in diameter and in the width of the tires, involves considerable difficulties and complications.